So how do we become community for everyone?

[rpn]

https://www.deseret.com/indepth/2019/9/15/20857258/tony-mcaleer-he-was-a-neo-nazi-leader-canada-life-after-hate-white-supremacy

When I read this, I hoped that many will also read it, and when they are done will think of how they can include those on the edges in their own healthy communities.    Wondered if we could make a list here, and each pass along the suggestions each to their own sphere of influence online and in a discussion at YM/YW or RS or PH activity or a discussion at the park or a civic event?   Wouldn't most of us really like to stamp out hate and violence to the extent we can?   Doing it one person at a time by reclaiming each cannot be too hard for all of us.

Please also report back here things that work and what doesn't  so we can all benefit.

Edited September 16, 2019 by rpn

[CV75]

20 minutes ago, rpn said:

https://www.deseret.com/indepth/2019/9/15/20857258/tony-mcaleer-he-was-a-neo-nazi-leader-canada-life-after-hate-white-supremacy

When I read this, I hoped that many will also read it, and when they are done will think of how they can include those on the edges in their own healthy communities.    Wondered if we could make a list here, and each pass along the suggestions each to their own sphere of influence online and in a discussion at YM/YW or RS or PH activity or a discussion at the park or a civic event?   Wouldn't most of us really like to stamp out hate and violence to the extent we can?   Doing it one person at a time by reclaiming each cannot be too hard for all of us.

Please also report back here things that work and what doesn't  so we can all benefit.

A humble start I suppose, but he could use a hand with his back yard...

[Ahab]

22 minutes ago, rpn said:

https://www.deseret.com/indepth/2019/9/15/20857258/tony-mcaleer-he-was-a-neo-nazi-leader-canada-life-after-hate-white-supremacy

When I read this, I hoped that many will also read it, and when they are done will think of how they can include those on the edges in their own healthy communities.    Wondered if we could make a list here, and each pass along the suggestions each to their own sphere of influence online and in a discussion at YM/YW or RS or PH activity or a discussion at the park or a civic event?   Wouldn't most of us really like to stamp out hate and violence to the extent we can?   Doing it one person at a time by reclaiming each cannot be too hard for all of us.

Please also report back here things that work and what doesn't  so we can all benefit.

Most people like cookies.  I suggest someone make a lot of cookies and give one away to every person they meet until they are gone.  That will make some people happy for at least a minute or so, if they are good cookies.

Or for those who can't afford the ingredients for cookies or who can't get out of their houses right now they could just send a text to everyone they know to say Hi and I love you!  That would probably put a smile on those people's faces.

Hmm.  Now if I could just think of something everyone could do in every minute of their lives so that everyone on this planet would feel like there is at least one person who loves them and wants them to be happy.  Hmm.  I'll give that some more thought.

[RevTestament]

22 hours ago, Ahab said:

Most people like cookies.  I suggest someone make a lot of cookies and give one away to every person they meet until they are gone.  That will make some people happy for at least a minute or so, if they are good cookies.

Or for those who can't afford the ingredients for cookies or who can't get out of their houses right now they could just send a text to everyone they know to say Hi and I love you!  That would probably put a smile on those people's faces.

Hmm.  Now if I could just think of something everyone could do in every minute of their lives so that everyone on this planet would feel like there is at least one person who loves them and wants them to be happy.  Hmm.  I'll give that some more thought.

God made manna for the people every day for years, because they had little else while in the desert. Yet, they grew dissatisfied. 

I believe Christ loves us every minute, and that has given me strength in periods of my life when I felt unloved by the world. I think Christ or "the way" is the solution to the ills of the world, and we can each take that commandment to love others, and cure the world. The Bible actually envisions that day when every man will call his neighbor his brother under the fig tree... we all have lots of work to do to get there... Maybe when I get my phone replaced I will take up your idea to text everyone on my list...  I am definitely not someone who naturally reaches out...

[HappyJackWagon]

I think the question of the OP leaps ahead of the real question. It's not "How do we" it's "Do we want to" be a community for everyone.

Generally speaking, I don't believe most members have a desire to be a community for everyone. Mormons have a rich history of being a "peculiar people" and I think there is pride taken in the differentiation between the church and the rest of the world, including other churches, former members, etc.

Community inevitably create in groups and out groups. Us and them. Communities often thrive because people feel safe and secure amongst other people like them, so opening up the community to people NOT like them is scary and therefore avoided.

IMO- until the church at least adopts a philosophy of truly being a "part" of the body of Christ, recognizing the other parts as being valued and necessary, there's no way the church can be a community for Christians, let alone "everyone".

[The Nehor]

We are trying to create Zion, which will probably never be a community for everyone.

[Tacenda]

18 minutes ago, HappyJackWagon said:

I think the question of the OP leaps ahead of the real question. It's not "How do we" it's "Do we want to" be a community for everyone.

Generally speaking, I don't believe most members have a desire to be a community for everyone. Mormons have a rich history of being a "peculiar people" and I think there is pride taken in the differentiation between the church and the rest of the world, including other churches, former members, etc.

Community inevitably create in groups and out groups. Us and them. Communities often thrive because people feel safe and secure amongst other people like them, so opening up the community to people NOT like them is scary and therefore avoided.

IMO- until the church at least adopts a philosophy of truly being a "part" of the body of Christ, recognizing the other parts as being valued and necessary, there's no way the church can be a community for Christians, let alone "everyone".

Maybe the church will one day be unrecognizable and more like the general population of Christians, and the younger LDS won't be the wiser and think that's how it's always been with the elderly LDS dying off. 

[The Nehor]

8 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

Maybe the church will one day be unrecognizable and more like the general population of Christians, and the younger LDS won't be the wiser and think that's how it's always been with the elderly LDS dying off. 

And maybe everyone will have a flying pony!

[2BizE]

I think Mormons in general do not want to have diverse community.  We tend to exclude anyone who is not willing to conform to our beliefs and food choices. 

In this article, the key is they now nazi had to mentally/spiritually decide that perhaps his beliefs were wrong and that he could change. This opened himself up to listening and learning.

He said something profound., “The ideology is secondary,” he says. “It’s the need to belong that makes them susceptible to white nationalism. If a child had to believe that the earth was flat in order to get that attention and acceptance from that community, he’d believe it.”

For many in our communities, Mormonism doesn’t work, but since it is the largest community group we try to fit in...but our beliefs are not 100 percent aligned with Mormonism, so the larger group ostracizes us (or excommunicates us, which is the same).

[Bernard Gui]

On 9/16/2019 at 10:11 AM, rpn said:

https://www.deseret.com/indepth/2019/9/15/20857258/tony-mcaleer-he-was-a-neo-nazi-leader-canada-life-after-hate-white-supremacy

When I read this, I hoped that many will also read it, and when they are done will think of how they can include those on the edges in their own healthy communities.    Wondered if we could make a list here, and each pass along the suggestions each to their own sphere of influence online and in a discussion at YM/YW or RS or PH activity or a discussion at the park or a civic event?   Wouldn't most of us really like to stamp out hate and violence to the extent we can?   Doing it one person at a time by reclaiming each cannot be too hard for all of us.

Please also report back here things that work and what doesn't  so we can all benefit.

This brought to mind a news article from a few years ago about my friend S. Heber Young, Mormon activist extraordinaire. Granted, this was back in another era, the heady days of apologetics when all of our attention was given to attacks against the Church from Evangelicals and other religious types instead of from former and current disgruntled fellow Saints. Hopefully, today we can be more tolerant of those who disagree with us.

Quote

Dateline: S. Heber Young,  Hurricane, Utah, 10 August 2012. U&I MITE.

Oldtimers at mormondialogue.org eagerly await the report on the Mormon efforts to disrupt the Tacoma Covenant Celebration Church’s summer pageant, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Every year thirty thousand people attend this popular Evangelical pageant which features live camels, horses and chariots, donkeys, fireworks, sky divers, and a cast of hundreds, and frequent rude comments about their Mormon neighbors. You will recall last year’s report - hundreds of Mormon missionaries had been mobilized to picket the pageant, but the plan was frustrated by an unexplained mission-wide missionary car failure. Additional problems arose with the arrival of S. Heber Young’s radical group Utah and Idaho Missions To Evangelicals (U&I MITE). Efforts to keep the MITEs confined to the parking lot proved successful, but S. Heber vowed to return his year. He's back.

Here ís the local media report from this year's pageant:

Young Mormons crashed the party at Covenant Church’s Pageant again this summer. Clad in matching teal and mauve MORMON MITES t-shirts, dozens of fresh-faced youths under the direction of Mormon activist S. Heber Young of Hurricane, Utah, unloaded from Dodge and Ford minivans in the Amphitheater parking lot. Police confronted the anxious group, directing them to an area behind yellow barricades opposite the Amphitheater entrance. From that vantage point the Mormons unfurled banners and posters: "10 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR PASTOR!" "PREDESTINATION SUCKS!" "EVANGELICALS ARE LOUSY KISSERS AND THEY KICK DOGS!"

New to this year’s protest, Mormon young women brandished bull horns to harangue Evangelicals entering the Amphitheater gates. 75-year-old S. Heber and other adult protesters paraded back and forth behind the barricade dressed only in boxer shorts and briefs. “Why do you wear this funny underwear?” the girls taunted shocked Evangelicals. But absent this year were the cadres of Mormon missionaries who had set up booths distributing Family Home Evening Manuals, Lime Jello, and CTR rings at previous pageants. The arrival of the more virulent MITEs at last year’s pageant coupled with the unexplained electrical failure of all missionary cars in a five mission area discouraged the more respectful missionary participation.

The Humptulips WA LDS Ward Mission President and U&I MITE renegade regional leader Straub Chortle commented, “We always protest in good taste. We love Evangelicals, and they'll be praying that me and my boys come back next year instead of S. Heber’s crowd from Hurrican.They'll be missing the free Jello and CTR rings! It’s their fault. If they had left well-enough alone they wouldn’t have to deal with us radicals." 

Chortle was referring to a recent lawsuit over freeway access to the Amphitheater. Local Evangelicals had sought to control the access during pageant dates, but Mormons sued them and the Pierce County Sheriff for the right to drive where ever they wanted. "Freedom Means Free Access to Freeways" lawyer Trestle Asphalt successfully pushed the lawsuit that opened the door to more radical groups like Chortle's MITE group.

“We just want to see our pageant,” explained Evangelical Pastor Turbo Crossly. “We have rights, too. They don’t need to come here to disrupt us.” Crossly and his fiance Patricia Toni Loftus were planning to get engaged near the Amphitheater fountain, but were reduced to sobs by shouts of “YOUR MARRIAGE VOWS INCLUDE YOUR DIVORCE DECREE!” from jeering Mormon MITES dressed in tuxedos and white wedding gowns.

“We’ll be back next year,” swore Young. But S.Heber’s advanced age may prohibit further participation. His son-in-law John D. Lee Young Pratt Kimball is prepared to take over the cause. “We're already soliciting love donations to help purchase new supplies, plus we’ll have a surprise or two next year. Think: sky divers in boxers," hinted JDL. Chortle refused to comment on what his group had planned for next year, but some say it involves funeral potato casseroles.

 

Edited September 17, 2019 by Bernard Gui

[Tacenda]

1 hour ago, The Nehor said:

And maybe everyone will have a flying pony!

Haha! Didn't expect this response, but wait, it's you!!

[Storm Rider]

8 hours ago, HappyJackWagon said:

I think the question of the OP leaps ahead of the real question. It's not "How do we" it's "Do we want to" be a community for everyone.

Generally speaking, I don't believe most members have a desire to be a community for everyone. Mormons have a rich history of being a "peculiar people" and I think there is pride taken in the differentiation between the church and the rest of the world, including other churches, former members, etc.

Community inevitably create in groups and out groups. Us and them. Communities often thrive because people feel safe and secure amongst other people like them, so opening up the community to people NOT like them is scary and therefore avoided.

IMO- until the church at least adopts a philosophy of truly being a "part" of the body of Christ, recognizing the other parts as being valued and necessary, there's no way the church can be a community for Christians, let alone "everyone".

The Church is a congregation of believers - it is not a self-help groups, without boundaries, beliefs, or structure. The Church of Jesus Christ is exactly like the ancient church - Come, follow Christ, repent and be baptized. What you are proposing has nothing in common with the Church set up by Jesus Christ or his ancient followers. It is little surprise that it has little to do with the Church of Jesus Christ today. 

[rpn]

11 hours ago, Storm Rider said:

It's not "How do we" it's "Do we want to" be a community for everyone.

I guess I should have mentioned that I wasn't speaking of this place.    I was speaking of the broader communities in which we live.   So that no one reaches out to extremism because the rest of us failed to invite them to something better and believe in them and give them a place of peace/belonging.   We all know that faithful gospel living can do that.   And just genuine kindness makes an every day difference.  

[smac97]

On 9/16/2019 at 11:11 AM, rpn said:

So how do we become community for everyone?

Perhaps the question could be better posed this way: "So how do we become a community for everyone who wants to be a part of that community?"

We cannot be all things to all people.  We are a community of faith.  I certainly want everyone in our community, but membership has to be on the Lord's terms.  

But if you are speaking of a civic community, then that's a different story.

Quote

https://www.deseret.com/indepth/2019/9/15/20857258/tony-mcaleer-he-was-a-neo-nazi-leader-canada-life-after-hate-white-supremacy

When I read this, I hoped that many will also read it, and when they are done will think of how they can include those on the edges in their own healthy communities.    Wondered if we could make a list here, and each pass along the suggestions each to their own sphere of influence online and in a discussion at YM/YW or RS or PH activity or a discussion at the park or a civic event?   Wouldn't most of us really like to stamp out hate and violence to the extent we can?   Doing it one person at a time by reclaiming each cannot be too hard for all of us.

Please also report back here things that work and what doesn't  so we can all benefit.

During our ward's Elders Quorum meeting two Sundays ago, we had a discussion about how we could improve the relationships in our ward and neighborhood and community.  Not just the members of the Church, but everyone.  One fellow noted that the Church has made much emphasis on visiting people in their homes.  He said that this is a good idea, but it has some real limitations.  Visiting other people in their homes can be seen as intrusive.  Some may feel self-conscious about the condition of their home (our neighborhood tends toward the economically modest end of the spectrum).  It may be a bit run-down, or cluttered.  Or the visit may be unexpected.  And most such visits involve the visitors inviting themselves.  So this fellow suggested that we continue to visit people in their homes when that is feasible, but also that we do more to be neighborly, and to invite others into our homes.  This would reduce much of the apprehensiveness that otherwise can arise.

This last Monday, my famiy had a bonfire in our backyard for FHE.  My oldest daughter, in her first year of college, invited a friend over.  The friend is a Egyptian woman, a devout Muslim who is attending BYU.  We have had her visit our home many times, and it seems like she really feels comfortable around us, and we around her.  On Monday evening we shared thoughts and perspectives and lessons learned about charity, about love for one's fellow man.

It was a very pleasant evening.

Thanks,

-Smac 

Edited September 18, 2019 by smac97

[HappyJackWagon]

18 hours ago, Storm Rider said:

The Church is a congregation of believers - it is not a self-help groups, without boundaries, beliefs, or structure. The Church of Jesus Christ is exactly like the ancient church - Come, follow Christ, repent and be baptized. What you are proposing has nothing in common with the Church set up by Jesus Christ or his ancient followers. It is little surprise that it has little to do with the Church of Jesus Christ today. 

I'm not sure what you think it is I'm proposing.

I said... "IMO- until the church at least adopts a philosophy of truly being a "part" of the body of Christ, recognizing the other parts as being valued and necessary, there's no way the church can be a community for Christians, let alone "everyone".

It's a statement, not a proposal, but I definitely stand behind the idea that if the church and its members can't accept that there are others who are a part of the body of Christ, then it just proves my point that many members have no interest in creating a community for all. They don't really even want a community of all Christians. That's a statement, not a proposal  

 

 

[Stargazer]

On 9/17/2019 at 11:53 AM, 2BizE said:

I think Mormons in general do not want to have diverse community.  We tend to exclude anyone who is not willing to conform to our beliefs and food choices. 

You might as well be talking about Jews.  Or Muslims.  Invite your Jewish or Muslim neighbors over for a barbecue where the beef, chicken and pork ribs are all cooked on the same barbecue.  They aren't coming, at least if they're observant.  Not even sure they'd come even if the halal and kosher meat were cooked on a separate bbq.  I'm not saying this is a bad thing, understand me! Everyone is entitled to socialize according to their own desires.

Now, my wife and I have gone to our neighbors for barbecues, and when everyone else was drinking beer and wine, we stuck to soft drinks.  There might be some LDS who won't associate with Gentiles under any circumstance, but I think they're somewhat rare.  We want them to join the Church don't we?  How can this happen if we refuse to socialize?

Please stop talking like LDS are all a bunch of insular xenophobes.  I am sure we have some -- but which group doesn't? And most of those live in Utah, I'd imagine.  The rest of us live somewhere else.

 

[Tacenda]

10 hours ago, Stargazer said:

You might as well be talking about Jews.  Or Muslims.  Invite your Jewish or Muslim neighbors over for a barbecue where the beef, chicken and pork ribs are all cooked on the same barbecue.  They aren't coming, at least if they're observant.  Not even sure they'd come even if the halal and kosher meat were cooked on a separate bbq.  I'm not saying this is a bad thing, understand me! Everyone is entitled to socialize according to their own desires.

Now, my wife and I have gone to our neighbors for barbecues, and when everyone else was drinking beer and wine, we stuck to soft drinks.  There might be some LDS who won't associate with Gentiles under any circumstance, but I think they're somewhat rare.  We want them to join the Church don't we?  How can this happen if we refuse to socialize?

Please stop talking like LDS are all a bunch of insular xenophobes.  I am sure we have some -- but which group doesn't? And most of those live in Utah, I'd imagine.  The rest of us live somewhere else.

 

Well, recently Elder Uchtdorf visited our stake and said that we in the church need to change from being insular to being "open", he said we need a big sign like the one he passed by on the way to our stake center that said "open". He sees a problem of it our church.  

[Stargazer]

10 hours ago, Tacenda said:

Well, recently Elder Uchtdorf visited our stake and said that we in the church need to change from being insular to being "open", he said we need a big sign like the one he passed by on the way to our stake center that said "open". He sees a problem of it our church.  

You're in Utah, right?    And I wrote: "And most of those live in Utah, I'd imagine."

Those of us who live outside Utah, there amongst a majority "Gentile" population, where if we amount to 1% of the population we're lucky, must be more open.  If Elder Uchtdorf says it then it must be so, but there are gradations of "insular".  Our stake and ward, for example, seem to be frequently working with the community -- which are 99.9% of the population.  

I do wonder what being "open" means.  Did Elder Uchtdorf describe what he meant by "open"?

[Tacenda]

1 hour ago, Stargazer said:

You're in Utah, right?    And I wrote: "And most of those live in Utah, I'd imagine."

Those of us who live outside Utah, there amongst a majority "Gentile" population, where if we amount to 1% of the population we're lucky, must be more open.  If Elder Uchtdorf says it then it must be so, but there are gradations of "insular".  Our stake and ward, for example, seem to be frequently working with the community -- which are 99.9% of the population.  

I do wonder what being "open" means.  Did Elder Uchtdorf describe what he meant by "open"?

When you're insular you aren't open? I don't know. I typed in insular, and got the below. Sometimes living in Utah feels like this, in the subarbs in Davis county especially. But I know Scott Lloyd will disagree with me. 

Insular means "having a narrow view of the world," like insular people who never leave their small town, which enables them to believe that every place in the world is the same and the people are all just like them. The adjective insular comes from the Latin word insula, which means “island."

 

 

Edited September 20, 2019 by Tacenda

[Stargazer]

3 hours ago, Tacenda said:

When you're insular you aren't open? I don't know. I typed in insular, and got the below. Sometimes living in Utah feels like this, in the subarbs in Davis county especially. But I know Scott Lloyd will disagree with me. 

Insular means "having a narrow view of the world," like insular people who never leave their small town, which enables them to believe that every place in the world is the same and the people are all just like them. The adjective insular comes from the Latin word insula, which means “island."

I don't know how he could disagree with you -- is he really that reflexive?  I can easily picture how a community with a large degree of homogeneity as to important cultural characteristics could become insular.  I don't mean to dump on Utah (well, maybe I do), but I'm pretty sure that there a places in that state where non-LDS stand out like the proverbial Man from Mars, and may get treated as such.  But I think there are places there where it might be becoming a bit more cosmopolitan.  I know that SLC is pretty much a Gentile city nowadays.

I lived in Provo once upon a time for a few months and it actually seemed like a rather friendly town.  I kind of liked it.

Edited September 20, 2019 by Stargazer

[Tacenda]

7 hours ago, Stargazer said:

I don't know how he could disagree with you -- is he really that reflexive?  I can easily picture how a community with a large degree of homogeneity as to important cultural characteristics could become insular.  I don't mean to dump on Utah (well, maybe I do), but I'm pretty sure that there a places in that state where non-LDS stand out like the proverbial Man from Mars, and may get treated as such.  But I think there are places there where it might be becoming a bit more cosmopolitan.  I know that SLC is pretty much a Gentile city nowadays.

I lived in Provo once upon a time for a few months and it actually seemed like a rather friendly town.  I kind of liked it.

Surprisingly, Provo isn't the "Happy Valley", that everyone says it is. It's more diverse than Davis County, where I live. My two sons both lived there and said they liked living there as well. But maybe "Happy Valley", doesn't mean what I think it did. 

 

[Tacenda]

I wonder if there is any correlation to how well the community is in Utah: https://www.abc4.com/news/local-utah-state-news/how-well-is-mental-health-in-our-state-new-report-said-utah-ranks-last-in-us/

[Ahab]

15 hours ago, Stargazer said:

You're in Utah, right?    And I wrote: "And most of those live in Utah, I'd imagine."

Those of us who live outside Utah, there amongst a majority "Gentile" population, where if we amount to 1% of the population we're lucky, must be more open.  If Elder Uchtdorf says it then it must be so, but there are gradations of "insular".  Our stake and ward, for example, seem to be frequently working with the community -- which are 99.9% of the population.  

I do wonder what being "open" means.  Did Elder Uchtdorf describe what he meant by "open"?

I imagine that by being more "open" he meant that we should see everybody around us as family.  Which we all are, technically, but sometimes it just doesn't feel that way.  And even in families there can be some distance where not everybody in the family feels close to each other.

I feel closest to my wife and my next closest connection is to our children, which are 2 sons.  One of those sons is married now and I don't feel as close to her as to our sons but she would probably be the next closest to us in our family.  And then we have other relatives who are in varying degrees of closeness to us, emotionally.  And then there are some Church members we feel close to, and some not.  And then we have some neighbors in our area. some who we feel close to and some others not so much, if any at all.  But we still smile and wave Hi to everybody we see!  We try to be friendly!  I hope that counts at least a little bit.  There are some people in this world who we don't even know at all, though.  Kinda sad.

[stemelbow]

It was one of my greatest hopes as s member—the church would relax its exclusive and elitist ideas and be far more geared toward a “we are all in this together.  Let’s reason together.”  I’m dense because it took me years before I realized how disparate my goals were from the churchs.  After multiple times being censured I finally realized the church is far more about protecting dogma than it is about others.  Oops on my part

[Stargazer]

1 hour ago, Ahab said:

I imagine that by being more "open" he meant that we should see everybody around us as family.  Which we all are, technically, but sometimes it just doesn't feel that way.  And even in families there can be some distance where not everybody in the family feels close to each other.

I feel closest to my wife and my next closest connection is to our children, which are 2 sons.  One of those sons is married now and I don't feel as close to her as to our sons but she would probably be the next closest to us in our family.  And then we have other relatives who are in varying degrees of closeness to us, emotionally.  And then there are some Church members we feel close to, and some not.  And then we have some neighbors in our area. some who we feel close to and some others not so much, if any at all.  But we still smile and wave Hi to everybody we see!  We try to be friendly!  I hope that counts at least a little bit.  There are some people in this world who we don't even know at all, though.  Kinda sad.

I am by nature rather closed. It has nothing to do with my religious faith. I'm just rather self-contained, and I might be somewhere on the autism spectrum.  I had friends of course, growing up, but in adulthood, while I can say that I have good acquaintances, my only true friend is my wife. I should say, wives, since my late wife was my only true friend, as is my current wife.  I don't "hang" out with people. 

So, for me to take Elder Uchtdorf's advice to be more "open", I guess this would mean that I start interacting with my neighbors, making actual non-spousal friendships, and so on.  Yech!  I go out occasionally among "the English", and I even enjoy interacting with them, having conversations, but I don't take it any further.  Maybe I need to extend my stride on this.  I'll think about it.

Oddly enough, I also enjoy being social in unusual situations, just for the fun of it.  The wife and I were out shopping the other week, and we were headed back to the car, which was located in a multi-storage parking garage.  We got into the elevator with about five other people, all of us going up.  Utter silence. Everyone looking at the door with dull expressions.  And this is in England, with the stiff upper lips and all that.  To my wife's utter chagrin, I get this big smile on my face and say: "So, how're ya'll doin' today?"  I get some surprised smiles and a few "Just fines", whereupon I tell them that I had read about how people in elevators like to pretend they're all alone, and just wanted to buck the trend and see what happens. It all came out rather positive, for the two or three minutes we had together, and as we all dispersed to our floors, it seemed like everyone's moods had lightened a bit.  The wife was a bit embarrassed, however, and when we got out of the elevator she punched me on the shoulder.  But she was smiling as she did so.

I might be able to get away with this because of my American accent.